WATCH: Police Commissioner Praises Incredible Protesters Who Showed Up ‘For The Right Reason’

An enormous crowd of counter-protesters showed up Saturday to protest conservatives who were holding a free speech rally, noted Boston Police Commissioner William Evans, according to The Hill.

The vast majority of those who showed up were there “for the right reason,” he said.

Police Commissioner Praises Protesters

Evans added:

“Ninety-nine point nine percent were there to fight bigotry and hate for the most part here today.”

The event, billed as a “Free Speech Rally,” occurred just one week after the violent alt-right protest in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) organized the rally and had intended to include speakers with ties to white nationalism. But with tensions still escalating after the violence caused by neo-Nazi and other white nationalist organizations, the FSC has distanced itself from hate groups.

Mostly Peaceful

Evans noted during a press conference that even with the huge crowd of 40,000 counter-protesters at the rally, the event was peaceful, and that “overall, it was a good day for the city,” Deadline reports.

He added there were only 33 arrests, most of which were for disorderly conduct.

There were only a few assaults against police officers, and in general, most of the misbehaving fell in the pushing and shoving category. In some cases, officers had to endure bottles of urine being thrown at them when they escorted right-wing rally attendees through the crowd.

For Boston mayor Marty Walsh, the mostly peaceful occasion was a relief. It was, he noted, “a very successful day” for the city and for local police. And he thanked the counter-protesters in a tweet:

Today Boston showed there's no place for hate in our City. TY to all who peacefully stood up for our values, and the @bostonpolice.